I am looking for cheap flights, and I finally have one. The only problem I see is making a connection in London. I land in London Heathrow Terminal 4 at 6:45 AM. We then depart Heathrow, but from Terminal 1 at 8:20 AM.
Is this possible?! Am I cutting it too close? I haven’t been to Heathrow since 2000; and I’ve never had to change terminals there. Is there an easy way to get from terminal to terminal? Does the Tube stop at each terminal?
Many thanks for a quick reply. I have to buy these tickets by 17:00 EST, if at all.
“Terminals 1, 2 & 3 are all located in the centre of the airport and are within walking distance of each other via underground walkways. Terminal 4 is located on the south side of the airport, and can be reached from Terminals 1, 2 & 3 via the free inter-terminal transfer service on the Heathrow Express train, which takes approximately eight minutes.”
I had to make a similar connection at Heathrow several months ago. I don’t remember the exact terminal we flew into, or flew out of, but we did have to take the inter-terminal bus. After the long flight from Los Angeles, I was looking forward to nothing more than relaxing a bit, maybe grabbing a bit of food and/or coffee and poking around Heathrow for a few minutes (having never been there), and just generally enjoying not being on a plane for a short while. Instead, it went like this:
Got off the plane. Walked from one end of the terminal to the other end. Waited in line to get on the shuttle bus. While it may be true that the shuttle itself takes only eight minutes or so once you get on it, waiting in line to get on the shuttle added probably a good fifteen twenty minutes to the experience. Get on the shuttle, get to the other terminal. Have to go through security, which was another long ‘line’ (really, just a huge, unorganized mass of people). Finally get through security, have to race clear to the other end of the terminal to our gate, as by now, our flight time is quickly approaching. Arrive at our terminal just as they’re announcing the final boarding call. Board the plane, grumpy and not relaxed at all.
I don’t remember exactly how long our layover time was, but it was somewhere around the length of the one you’re looking at. We made it, but it was close and not pleasant at all. Of course, my experience could have been an exception; maybe I was there on an extra-busy day and just happened to have gotten the furthest possible gates to get to/from.
I made a connection between Terminal 4 and Terminal 1 once, in an hour and twenty minutes. Once I made it to Terminal 1, I literally sat down for 30 seconds before they announced boarding for my flight.
I did lose some time when the first bus to Terminal 1 was full and I had to wait for another.
I’d say yes, you can do it. Just don’t plan on getting any food or bathroom breaks at Heathrow.
DooWahDiddy, have you ever been through Heathrow? It’s rather unique because you have to go through security screening there–even though you went through screening to get on the flight that got you there. And since you and the whole airplane full of other people all arrive at security at the same time, it can be a significant wait to get through. Also, there are miles and miles and miles of hallways to walk.
No, I flew into Gatwick. I was solely going by what was on their website. It’s always nice to have some anecdotal evidence, although when 8 minutes becomes 80, it doesn’t seem very responsible on their part.
If your luggage is being checked through straight onto the second flight, I think that’s fine. If you have to collect luggage and check it into the next flight - no.
I’d bank on 45 minutes to 1 hour to get through immigration and customs at Terminal 4, plus another 15-30 minutes to get your bags and so on, after which getting to Terminal 1 will take about 20 minutes, including walking. It’s a bit closer than I would like to cut it, but that’s just me. Oh, and take the Heathrow Express between Terminal 4 and Terminal 1. I think it runs every 10 minutes or so and is free.
The simple truth is that Heathrow is an overcrowded inadequate shithole masquerading as a major airport. There isn’t one I’ve been through in this country which I’d rather avoid. Except maybe Glasgow Prestwick, and only because the '70s carpets there make me feel sick.
We don’t have to go through customs as it is an international to international flight. If we had been made to go through customs I know we would have never made the connection. What I didn’t know is that Heathrow has double security checkpoints. Thank you Sattua for that tidbit.
I intend to inform the flight attendants about our situation when we board in Toronto. Also, I will enlist Heathrow attendants assistance when we arrive so as to not waste any time. I figure it shouldn’t be too much of an issue, as long as our flight out of Toronto is on time. Regardless, I have already bought the tickets and they are nonrefundable; so we’re going, and we’re going to be running if we have to.
It wouldn’t surprise me if these occur at many other airports, too, where there’s different regulations for arriving and departing passengers. Cf the recent liquid-bomb scare, where passengers could arrive from America carrying all the liquid they wanted, but couldn’t then depart for another destination carrying those items.
Yep, it’s be great if every airport had the same security as the most secure one in the world. Or would it?